Repetitive Failures, Last Place, and Never Giving Up
First of all, apologies to Mr. Ryan Freeman for sending this article in late! Honestly, it was right out of the blue when he sent me a message reminding me about this article. - My eyes became as wide as saucers as I scrolled up, reviewing our conversation.
"Oh right. Oh no!"
What really happened was I had in mind to visit his author site - it was so exhilarating, because it's my first time getting acquainted with an author. Nevertheless, my fingers were lingering about what I wanted to write for this article, so I want to indulgently thank this friendly author for this (Mr. Ryan Patrick Freeman). For me, this is a big thing.
How I first started writing and Why I love it
Actually, when I was in elementary. Reading was my forte. My mother already taught me how to read just before kindergarten. I remember when a teacher asked me to read a paragraph and a word became a hindrance for me to continue. I was stuck, and I remember how I couldn't wait to move my tongue next.
'How come there's just one vowel?' I asked myself.
The word was 'RHYME'.
Well, actually that's not the only word I didn't know how to enunciate, but it's the only one I can remember now.
Generally, I like all subjects, but Mathematics was my absolute fave, then English. Talking about writing, I love to answer questions, give opinions, make explanations, and make plays for group activities.
Once I reached high school, our teacher gave us a task to write a continuation of a story, The Centipede. I had a partner for this task, but I indulgently did the writing. When our work was returned, I was so surprised and overjoyed to find a note at the upper right corner of the sheet, on the left side of our score, noted in blue tint a pretty 'very good'. That was the first thing I noticed, and the second thing was the correction (corrections, rather). Plenty of corrections in pretty red tint.
Nevertheless, I realized that I have a some knowledge in writing, and I believe that I can be better.
Opportunities came, but indeed we just can't win sometimes.
(7th Grade, High School)
It was Nutrition Month in our school, and our teacher asked me to join in the essay writing contest. That was my first time, actually (not including things like quizzes we had to do back then). However, when they called me to the faculty room, I remember standing in front of the teachers with bated breath and frenzied awe... Then they told me that my piece had been chosen, and I would be brought before the municipal level.
This perhaps is a small thing for some, but I took it as a new special gift. I started to love writing, and indeed, I love writing and I love English.
There in the contest, I felt like the only student in a group of teachers. I could see how my adversaries dealt with the situation: Confidence. - Whew!
Respectively, I took fifth place. Wow! Fifth place? And there were only five participants. Honestly, I misunderstood the given topic. I admit that I am a lassie poor in vocabularies.
That's it. I felt so embarrassed. Embarrassed to the teachers who believe in me, especially to my adviser who had been one of the best chaperones in my studies.
However, I was motivated by what one of our T.L.E. teachers said, that if today I am fifth, next time I'll be the fourth, then third, second, until I will win. Hearing that made me remember about the steps that I must take. That I must be patient, for I can be who and what I want and dream to be.
I gave the 100 pesos worth of money I earned from the contest to my dear grandma. Let's just say it's the consolation prize. "I'm the fifth..." I said. "...out of five." - I sensed that they took pity on me. I just smiled, but inevitable wept confidentially in the room.
Our teacher then asked me to join the campus journalism in our school, so I became one of the news writers. Otherwise, I started to write stories and poems.
I wrote plenty. I write more. And the more I write, the more I'm inspired.
I have joined press-cons and contests twice, but never tried to take place in the rank. My eldest sister too tried to join twice, but placed only three times. I believe she's a good feature and editorial writer. She's even our little EIC in our school's campus journalists. Little? Yes. She's a little girl (wink).
On repetitive failures, I never get desperate and I never stop writing.
I write and write and write and write.
Many asked me why I always write, and why I never get tired of writing. Well, simply put, I just love to write. Just? No. I LOVE TO WRITE.
Isabel Batatas is a journalist and student from Cebu City, Philippines.
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